Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1924-Mar 1925)

30 EXHIBITORS HERALD March 14, 1925 Cecil DeMille Formally Takes Possession of Ince Studios Stars, Directors and Producers Attend IPelcoming Ceremonies — Henderson Productions Working at California Studios By HARRY HAMMOND BEALL Hollywood, March 2, 1925. — CecU B. DeMille is now formally established as lord of the domain of what was formerly the Ince studio at Culver City, having been officially inaugurated with welcoming ceremonies last Thursday, in which community and cinema interests joined. It was a gala occasion, not, however, without a note of sadness when almost every speaker referred with fitting tenderness to the memory of Thomas H. Ince, through whose genius the studio was originally built. or TARS, directors, producers and execulives from other studios declared a half holiday to pay honor to DeMille and his installation festivities. Mayor C. V. Loop of Culver City presented the keys to DeMille. Among other speakers were Joseph M. Schenck as President of the Producers Association, Milton Gardner, Federal Judge Benjamin F. Bledsoe, A1 Christie, Louis B. Mayer, F. C. Munroe, President of Producers Distributing Corporation, and General Robert Wankowski, Culver City banker. Harry Culver, founder of Culver City acted as master of ceremonies. DeMille stars who officiated as hosts and hostesses were Beatrice Joy, Robert Edeson, Florence Vidor and Julia Faye. * * * Alan Hale, film actor who recently turned director, is chosen by Rudolph Valentino to direct “The Hooded Falcon,” based on a romance of the fourteenth century in Spain. Valentino has just finished photography on “Cobra,” a modern drama. ♦ * * Emmett Flynn will soon begin preparatory work for his picturization of John Golden’s stage play, “Seventh Heaven,” for William Fox. * * * Henry Bruenner, assistant production manager of the Earl Hudson units, announces that Dorothy Mackaill is signed on a Eirst National contract and will be cofeatured with Milton Sills in a picture soon. * * * The Theodore Henderson Productions is the latest picture-producing unit to establish working headquarters in the California Studios. The Henderson company is preparing to produce “Drifters,” an original story. * * * William Collier, Jr., is signed to play in “Eve’s Secret,” a Paramount Production co-starring Betty Compson and Jack Holt. * * * Reginald Barker has returned from Colorado and the continental divide, where he chose locations for “The White Desert,” his next big production for Metro-Goldvyyn-Mayer, based on Courthey Ryley Cooper’s story. * * * Lucille Lee Stewart, star of the legitimate, who has returned to Hollywood after six years in New York, announces she is here to stay. * * * Herman F. Jans, independent producer, has arrived in Hollywood to consider the advisability of producing here the remaining pictures on his present schedule. * * * Ray Rockett, president of Rockett Productions, Inc., was host at Universal City to officers and 400 members of Los Angeles and National Builders Exchanges in convention in the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. The modus operand! of making pic tures was shown the guests by a brilliant set arranged for the occasion. * * * William Beaudine is ready to begin work in the direction of Mary Pickford in “Little Annie Rooney” in the PickfordEairbanks studio. * * * Olga Printzlau, scenarist, is expected to return to Hollywood this week from New York. * * * Creighton Hale is signed by MetroGoldwyn-Mayer to play a featured role in the adaptation of Somerset Maughan’s play, “The Circle.” * * * Lloyd Hughes left Hollywood last week for New York to answer summons from Earl Hudson, First National’s eastern production manager. * * * Marc McDermott is signed to play a role in Clarence Brown’s Universal production of “The Goose Woman.” * * * The West Coast-Highland theatre, at Avenue Fifty-six and Pasadena avenue in Los Angeles, will be opened with ceremonies on March 5, following its christening last week by Norma Shearer for West Coast Theatres, Inc. 4: ^ On his return to Los Angeles last week, Robert Edeson was signed by B. P. Schulberg to take a part in “Open That Door.” * * * Mae Murray was hostess last week at a charity dansant in Hotel Alexandria for the Consumptive sanatorium in Duarte, California. * * * Frank Lloyd has signed Tom Louden to play a “heavy” role in “The Winds of Chance.” * * * Phil Rosen is engaged to direct Barbara La Marr in her coming screen vehicles, Arthur H. Sawyer announces. ^ ^ Three hundred and ninety-two girls under 25 years who considered themselves beautiful applied at F. B. O. studios for w'ork last week. Of 21 whose telephone numbers were taken, only three had had experience. St, Joe Delays Election {Special to Exhibitors He-, aid) ST. JOSEPH, MO., March 3.— At a meeting of exhibitors last Eriday it was decided to postpone the election of officers of the newly organized city association until the next meeting, March 3, at the Hotel Robidoux. F. O. Williams of the Electric theatre, was elected chairman of the next meeting, John Egli of the Hickory theatre being chosen assistant chairman. Theatre Men in Many States Guard Against New Film Legislation {Continued from page 25) bill, meaning thirty cubic feet per seat with a full house. Should the bill have become a law it would have “wrecked” many suburban houses, exhibitors say. Aside from the Missouri censorship bill, the measure which is worrying Missouri exhibitors most now is the standing room bill, the text of which follows : Section 1 — That it is hereby declared unlawful for any person, co-partnership or corporation, owning, leasing or managing any place of public amusement to sell any ticket to any person in excess of the number of seats located in any such place of public place of amusement, or for any person, co-partnership or corporation, leasing or owning any public amusement to allow or permit any person, other than an employee, in such place of public amusement to be admitted into such place of public amusement unless such person be provided with a seat: Provided, that this act shall not apply to airdomes or places of amusement not enclosed under a roof. Section 2— Any person violating the provisions of this act shall, upon conviction, be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500 for each offense and each person, other than an employee, so admitted in excess of the number of seats, shall be considered a separate offense. See Failure of W isconsin Bill {Special to Exhibitors Herald) MADISON, WIS., March 3. — Statewide censorship of motion pictures, posters and other film advertising is provided for in a bill just introduced in the assembly of the Wisconsin legislature by Assemblyman Paul D. Raihle of Cadott. Details of the bill are not available, but Mr. Raihl declares that it will be patterned after legislation now effective in some states and that severe penalties will be provided for. With the administration having indicated that it is opposed to the principle of appointing numerous commissions, the belief prevails that the reform element will fail in its purpose. The only other measure introduced at this session which affects the theatre man is a bill sponored by Henry Staab, who, in addition to being executive secretary of the M. P. T. O. of Wisconsin, is a member of the legislature. Staab’s measure would remove the $25 license fee required of all theatres which permit performances by animals. Bill Fixes Occupation T ax Fee at $5 to $75 (Special to Exhibitors Herald) AUSTIN, TEX, March 3.—E. L. Covey of Gorey, Tex., introduced a bill in the Texas house of representatives last week for an occupation tax, on motion pictures, musical comedies, tent shows, and practically every form of amusement to be graduated according to the size of the city or town where the show is given. Counties, cities, towns and villages are authorized to tax the company one-half the amount of the state tax. For each move from town to town the tax would be collected. The tax is graduated as follows: Towns under 1,000, $5; 1,000 to 2,500, $25; 10,000 to 15,000, $30; 15,000 to 20,000, $40; 20,000 to 30,000, $50! 30,000 to 40,000, $60; 40,000 and over, $75. Kissinger Stands Alone {Special to Exhibitors Herald) INDIANAPOLIS, IND., March 3.— Names on petitions for the defeat of the Kissinger Sunday Closing bill mounted to 105,000 last week. Representative Duncan presented them to the House. Representative Kissinger was the lone voice heard when Speaker Harry Leslie asked for “those not wishing the list of names to be sent to the Senate.”